Top Indian Songs of the week 28th April 2024

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Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 28th April 2024

1. Omal Kanave

Composed & Arranged by Yakzan Gary Pereira & Neha Nair

Lyrics by Vinayak Sasikumar

Vocals by Job Kurian

Additional Vocals by Neha Nair

Language: Malayalam

Genre: Ballad Rock/Orchestral 

Mood: Pathos

What a way to come back into the thick of things!! I have always loved this duo of Yakzan Gary Pereira & Neha Nair, and here they are giving us a smashing single for the upcoming movie "Nadikar Lal JR.". The song is a fantastic amalgamation great vocals, solid arrangements and a memorable melody. The glorious strings section forms the intro with the accompanying acoustic guitars. Thiago Faria leads and conducts the strings section with Violins played by Letícia Andrade, Maria Emília Paredes, Wellington Oliveira and Alessandro Oliveira, Violas played by Guilherme Bonfim and Michelle Melo, Cellos by Thiago Faria and Mayara Alencar. 

Job Kurian, gets to perform the lead vocals and he does a smashing job, pun intended. His emotionally charged and apt delivery, with prompt stresses, makes us connect so well with the song. Kudos to Yakzan and Neha for this flamboyant arrangement, sound design and production. I get goosebumps listening to the anupallavi and we have the Flugelhorn by Alessandro Fresu, Michele Fortunato's Trombone and the seductive bass guitars by Panagiotis Andreu and Julio Nogueira lining up in the background. The melody takes a while to register, but once you do fathom its trajectory, the song starts to captivate you. 

The interlude has so much goodness with the live strings, horns, bass and the ensuing drums by Zamm Kenoby. The stanza has Job singing with such a mellowed-down approach and the song instils that mild sense of pathos. The true gift to the music lover is the notes written and executed by the strings section in the background and they feel like two different songs happening in parallel stitched beautifully together by the masterful Vivek Thomas on mixing. Neha Nair joins on additional vocals and the sound design by Thiago Faria, with recording transpiring at  Faria & Friends Studio, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The outro showcases Job's vocal skills as he soars into the higher register with terrific ease. 

@thinkmusicofficial @yakzangp @nnehanair @jobkuriank @vinayaksasikumar @nadikarthemovie @thinkmusicmalayalam @vivekthomasproductions @fariafriends @bythiagofaria

2. Jag Jaage

Music composed by Chirag Todi and Nihira Joshi-Deshpande

Music produced by Jonathan Edward

Lyrics: Sreenath

Language: Hindi

Genre: Classical-Jazz -Fusion

Mood: Happy

Nihira Joshi-Deshpande is a solid musician when it comes to fusing Indian classical music with various global styles and genres. I have featured her when it was Latin Jazz/ Flamenco -fusion and now it is more of Classical Jazz fusion. Get a load of this creative beauty with Chirag's guitars, and Madhav Mehta on drums. Nihira sings like a resplendent dream and what I love about her delivery style is that she never forces the classical tonality in a song like this. The singing is breezy and fluid, and she can switch to classical or Jazz at any given instance. Sreenath writes the lyrics.

I hear influences of Raag Bhimpalasi in the melody and this is one brilliant and effective way to familiarise the younger generation with classical Indian music. The interlude is s stunning piece on the Sarod by Rohan Prasanna, and here he experiments and freewheels into a casual Jazzy progression without any loyalty to the classical Indian style and that is why , it feels resurgent, almost like a lead guitar. Jonathan Edward is the man behind all the creative arrangements and Production. This is one joyride that has some bellowing creativity, and for me, it is a chapter on fusion music for young artists to learn and take inspiration from. Keshav Dhar is the mix/master engineer and the artwork is by Tushar Kejriwal. 

@chiragtodi @nihiramusic @sreenath1 @but_does_it_chug @rohanprasanna @theagiledrummer @keshavdhar @t_kej

3.Dua E Azaadi

Music Director - Shashi Suman

Singer - Javed Ali, Swaroop Khan, Shashi

Lyrics - Darab Farooqui

Music Supervisor - Akashdeep Sengupta

Music Production - Saajid Salaam

Language: Hindi

Genre: Light Music

Mood: Pathos

I believe "Ae Watan Mere Watan" is one of the best Bollywood music albums of 2024 yet, and it is so nice to acknowledge that considering it came from various artists. I have already featured a song last week, and here comes another blinder sung by Javed Ali and Swaroop Khan, with the musical composition by Shashi Suman. The Dholak comes in and swoops us away with its heavy impact thanks to Ishteyak, and in the background, we hear the pathos-inducing Dilshad Khan. 

The melody is so beautiful and it reminds us of some of the pinnacle-touching work by AR Rahman. The mind gets transported to a place of magic when we hear the chorus and as they sing "Dua E Azaadi" the mind becomes free of all worries. The combined vocals of Javed, Swaroop and Shashi send a chilling experience down our spine, and one more man contributing to this is lyricist Darab Farooqui. The music production is fabulous and the whole dish would be incomplete without the work of Saajid Salam and his arrangements and programming. The Tabla makes its entry with Mustak on it and Shashi handles all the Harmonium and vocal production. 

Dilshad ji is playful and is having a ball with the Sarangi in the interlude, and the song shows it is much more than a few lines, with its intense and excellently written verse. The line "kyun hamare ibadaton mein, abhi vahi asar nahi" has this Middle Eastern texture in the notes and delivery and that is enticing, especially the stress on the word "ibadaton". Shomu Seal accompanies right through with his guitars and his westernised strokes on the guitar add a nice opposing complexion in the background. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Tosief Shaikh, and the recording engineer is Rahul Sharma at Studio 504. Enjoy the sufi-laded outro and live in the perfect climax. 

@javedali4u @musical_swaroop @shashisuman_ @darabfarooqui @saajidsalaam @shomu_seal @dilshhadkhan @tosiefshaikh @akashdeep.sengupta @rhsharma504

4.Aadhe

Music: Siddharth Pandit

Lyrics: Alok Ranjan Srivastava

Vocals: Yashika Sikka

Arrangement & Production: Siddharth Pandit

Language: Hindi

Genre: Jazz-Pop

Mood: Romantic

This guy Siddharth Pandit, is no novice, and when I say that, I mean that he is one of the best the country has right now in musical composition/production. I have featured him quite a few times, and here is releasing his annual collection of original songs called "Azad Sangeet Season 3". Am I slow? I don't know but I just realized that it is named so because Siddharth means to call it 'Independent Music', a transliteration of 'Azaad Sangeet'. 

I can assure you that this is not the only song I am going to feature, as I already like another one which just got released but for now, let us focus on this beautiful song called 'Aadhe'. We have the brilliant Yashika Sikka on lead vocals and for many who haven't heard her before, she is the one who has become a household name after the recent hit ' Tu Kya Jaane' by AR Rahman for "Amar Singh Chamkila". 

This Jazzy Bluesy song gets titillating right from the get-go with the acoustic guitars and Piano flowing gently. Yashika goes one up and delivers a steamy, sensual and stylish. The delivery is beautiful as she twists and modulates like asking her partner a question just like Alok Ranjan Srivastav's lyrics go "Aadhe aadhe kyun hi rahein main aur tum". A true masterclass by Yashika, I must say. Then comes the magic of harmonies singing "Aane de, Jo kis pe aaye", and this settles it for me, Siddharth Pandit is a genius to have done arrangements and production of this quality. 

Yashika heads into the verse and she delivers some tough-to-execute almost-falsetto lines "Baaton Bataon mein jo aa ke, aadji aadhi aadhi dil ki jatee lein". The verse ends with some unpredictable shift in the notes "Gham Chhant lein, HUm Baant lein, Aadhe" and the brisk Piano and strings section in the background lead us into the chorus again. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Siddharth. 

@panditjeeee @jeemainyashika @hashtag.jazbaat 

5.Thaalajaalane

Music Composer - Sunny M.R.

Lyricist - Krishna Kanth (K.K)

Singer - Harjot Kaur

Music Producers - ZIA & Sunny M.R.

Language: Telugu

Genre: Semi-classical

Mood: Romantic

We all know Sunny MR and his amazing contribution to Indian music, both in the movie as well as indie space. Here comes his full-length movie album as the lead/sole composer in Tollywood. I ask all of you readers to go and please check out this fantastic album by him called " Om Bheem Bush". This is one of the best songs of the album, and I already featured "Anuvanuvuu" last week. by Arijit Singh. The song is written by Krishna Kanth. 

First of all, Sunny does a fabulous job, picking the playback singers, and here is Harjot Kaur who smashes this into pieces. Krishnaraj plays the solo Violin and then the Tabla and Dholak by Paul Raj, making the intro quite alluring. Just listen to Harjot and you will fall in love with everything you hear, as she uses her sweet voice to great effect. The song's pre-chorus lines are enough to make you surrender to the beauty of the melody. Lokesh plays the Santoor and Harp in the background, and the Veena by Haritha Raj and Sitar by Kishore adorn the interlude. 

I keep hearing some Raag Darbari in the melody. I have done as much justice as I can to the composition and production, but every segment of the song like the Sthayi and the Antara oozing beauty, like when she says " Priye Priye", are just fabulous and attractive notes. They get even better when she sings " Ee deham padhe, mohinchi binkamela, Hoyalanni inka neeveraa, sukumara, manasaara". 

The richness in the live instrumental melodies is a gift to any music lover and one can listen to the acoustic and electric guitars too in the background played by Sianna Gomes & Rutvik Talashilkar. The song is a rich amalgamation of Western and Indian music, with keys, strings section and guitars doing enough on one end of the spectrum. Kudos to ZIA and Sunny for their vision in musical production. ZIA also plays the Ukulele and guitars, with the retro-sounding live percussion by Krishna Kishore. 

The singers in chorus are Jithin Raj, Abhijith Anilkumar, Sreeraj Sahajan, Kiran Fathima Henna, Aishwarya Kumar, Feji, Devu Mathew, Lakshmi Meghana, Pavani Vasa, Nada Priya Meghana Naidu. We have Cochin Strings and Budapest Scoring Orchestra on all the Strings and orchestra with Balasubramanian G as the co-ordinator. Midhun Manoj, Amal Mithu, Jobin Rajan and KS Maniratnam are the recording engineers and the mixing and mastering is at  Chordfather Productions, Mumbai.  

@sunnymr @ziamuzik @ruaakayy @kishorbeatz @ryrvxk @haritharajveena @siannagomes @kk_writer1 @bala_musician @krishnarajviolin @jithinrajofficial @devumathew @lakshmimeghana 

6.Kaanathe Poyo

Performed by Aravind Dileep Nair, Kailas, Kavya Ajit

Written by B.K. Harinarayanan, Kailas

Language: Malayalam

Genre: Light Music

Mood: Romantic

It has been a while since we had Kailas Menon featured on this website and it is nice to welcome him back with a solid track. The combination of the acoustic and bass guitars in the intro is just tailor-made to draw the listener into the beauty that lies in wait. The song is composed, arranged and programmed by Kailas with lyrics by the dependable BK Harinarayanan. 

Kavya Ajit is a talented vocalist and she finally gets the song that she deserves. The way she delivers her lines in the anupallavi, is fabulous where the ending word carries a subtle but noticeable vibrato on the ending note. I am thrilled to hear Aravind Dileep Nair for the very first time and he has such an affable voice. Kavya continues to create bewilderment when she sings "Kaanathe Poyo njan" with such a twist and play on the word " poyo" almost like she is getting lost as the lyrics suggest and mean. 

The interlude deepens the sadness with that solo violin in the foreground and some tantalising bass and rhythms in the background. The string quartet is played by the inimitable Rithu Vysakh. The melody continues to sound haunting, but one must never stop to listen to the solo violin, acoustic and bass guitars that keep playing thanks to Anurag Rajeev Nayan, and in an alternate universe, they would be on the highlight reel. The song is a masterclass in arrangements and production according to me. Kailas and Vaishakh VJ are the producers. The recording engineers are Akhil Raj, Sagar S Manuvel, and Viman John. The mixing and mastering is by Sujith Hydher at Octaves Studio, Chennai. 

@kailasmenon2000 @rithuvysakh @vaishakhvj @anuragrajeevnayan @kavya_ajit_official @arvindnair_official @sujithhydher @harinarayanan.b.k

7.Ishq Mitaye

Song Composed, Produced, Arranged by A.R. Rahman

Lyrics by Irshad Kamil

Singer - Mohit Chauhan

Language: Hindi

Genre: Folk-Pop

Mood: Happy/Inspiring

The movie has been well-appreciated by all people on the internet with views that this could be the comeback of movie for Imtiaz Ali. I haven't seen the movie yet, and maybe the music will blend better with the screenplay, but as far as the songs are concerned I was not disappointed. Check out my recent album review on IG. This is the best song of the album and for AR Rahman fans, they will love the ARR-Mohit Chauhan dream combination. 

The song is not entirely fresh in terms of the melody, as I keep getting reminded of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's "Kinna Sona Tennu", and there are some traces of Raag Shivaranjani for sure. AR Rahman for sure surprises with some delectable arrangements, programming and production. We get some wonderfully uplifting vocals from artists like Harshil Pathak, Sarthak Kalyani, Inderpreet Singh, Romy, Aasa Singh, Arvinder Singh. They pave the way for Mohit who comes on and conquers the heart in no time. We hear some terrific riffs on the EKtara and guitars. 

The Dhol is played by Hanif Dhafrani and Aslam Dhafrani with all the additional programming by Sarthak Kalyani and Suryansh. The rhythm programming along with the use of the live Dhol is just terrific and the moment of true mesmerism happens when Mohit sings " Main Hoon Punjab". The lyrics are penned by Irshad Khamil and they carry great weight. The song is about its scintillating programming, vocals and production and kudos to Hiral Viradia for her music supervision. 

The Sound engineers who have worked on this magnificent song are Suresh Permal, Karthik Sekaran, Sreekanth Hariharan, Sarath Santosh, Aravind Crescendo, Suryansh, Sathish V Saravanan, Dilshaad Shabbir Shaikh, Hriday Gattani, Nitish Kumar, Harshil Pathak and Naval Chikhliya. 

@arrahman @sreekanthhariharan @sarathsantoshofficial @hiral_viradia @kamil_irshad_official @mohitchauhanofficial @sarthak.kalyani @hanifaslam_official @suryanshmusic @aasa.sing @mainhoonromy @harshil_pathak @hridaygattani

8.The Clock

Producer: Tejas Menon, Adil Kurwa, Jehangir Jehangir

Composer: Tejas Menon

Lyricist: Tejas Menon

Language: English

Genre: Pop

Mood: Trippy

I did enjoy a couple of songs in the new EP by Tejas Menon, but picked this engrossing ride called "The Clock" for this week's feature. The song's melody and lyrics are written by Tejas and the songs are produced collectively by Adil Kurwa, Jehangir Jehangir and Tejas. The song begins most unpredictably as Vanraj Shastri makes the heart throb with desire thanks to his Solo on the Sarangi. Adil Kurwas plays the bass guitars 

The combination of Keys and the Sarangi was unlikely but it did create a spark. Tejas wastes no time to mesmerise with his vocals. He writes to send a deep message asking " The river is resting, can we ever break it from the course?". The arrangements and production deserve special praise here as Vanraj intervenes so majestically, right after Tejas sings " I cannot lie". The intro melody of the Sarangi comes again to pulverise us in the interlude and the confluence of keys, drums and the Sarangi is pure magic. 

This feels like listening to stalwarts like the majestic work of George Michael and Phil Collins. Wow, and just like Iemntione, we come to the 3.40-minute mark and the outburst on drums feels like "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins. Jehangir, divine beauty on drums! The engineers involved are Hersh Desai, Ashyar Balsara, Adhithya Sivakumar and Aria Nanji. Vanraj sizzles with his solo riff on the Sarangi in the outro and he steals the show. 

@vanrajmsuic @tejas1989 @hersh.desai.9 @ashyarbalsara @adhithya.sivakumar @ariananji @harshkamarkar @aniket8620 @a_diilla @misfitsinc @thejjsticks

9.Periyone

SONG COMPOSED, PRODUCED AND ARRANGED BY AR RAHMAN

LYRICS - RAFIQ AHAMED

SINGER - JITHIN RAJ

Language: Malayalam

Genre: Light Music

Mood: Pathos/Devotional

The movie was eagerly awaited by many Malayalees, as the book was a phenomenal success and cinema buffs wanted to know if the book could be made into a movie. It had all the early ingredients like Prithviraj on lead, Bless on direction and AR Rahman on music. I reviewed the whole album on my IG page last week, and I recommend that you stream it for this song and one more good song. This becomes the natural pick of the album, and despite all the sadness in the theme and vocals, it still keeps you warm and inspired. 

Jithin Raj is the core of the song, and he does what a Yesudas, Madhu Balakrishnan or Unni Menon used to achieve with the power of their voice and bewildering delivery. AR Rahman is the master when it comes to anything even remotely close to devotional/sufi etc and here he is showcasing that. I do sense some influences of Raag Patdeep (Gowrimanohari in Carnatic). Subhani plays the plucked instrument in the interlude, and Hariprasad plays the percussion. The arrangements and production are subtle without any massive intervention. It gets grand only when we get to the chorus segment and rightly so Rafiq Ahmed writes " Periyone Rahmane", meaning probably that Rahman is the Great one. 

The backing vocalists are Sreekanth Hariharan, Sarath Santosh, Aravind Srinivas, Shenbagaraj, Aparna Harikumar, Anu Anand, Deepthi Suresh and Pooja Vankat. The strings section is thanks to Sunshine Orchestra, conducted by Jerry Vincent and supervised by Shubam Bhat. The line "Marupparam Villo", brings a tear in my eyes thanks to the notes and vocals. Prashanth Venkat is the music supervisor, and the recording engineers are Suresh Permal, Karthik Sekaran, Aravind Crescendo, Sathish V Saravanan, Sreekanth Hariharan and Sarath Santosh, The mix and master engineer is Suresh Permal with the Dolby Mix and Master done by Riyasdeen Riyan. 

@jithinrajofficial @blessyofficial @arrahman @therealprithvi @thegoatlifefilm @sreekanthhariharan @sarathsantoshofficial @deepthisureshofficial @aparnaharikumarh @anuanand_official 

10.Mahroo

Performed by Anand Bhaskar, Ginny Diwan, Romy

Written by Anand Bhaskar, Ginny Diwan

Language: Hindi

Genre: Folk/Rock

Mood: Energetic

It has been a while since I have heard anything from Anand Bhaskar, and the last time I was blown away by 'Masoom' by him on Disney Hotstar. This new series called "Showtime" on the same OTT space has been released and after listening to the whole album, this is the song I loved the most. The trio of Anand Bhaskar, Ginny Diwan and Romy reminds of such a glorious collboration for albums like "Mirzapur". 

Anand employs some magnificent Orchestral arrangements in the intro with the heavy strings and then the song moves from a folkish flavour to more of an electronic pop number, thanks to the resounding use of keys, synths and rhythm programming. Romy's vocals rise above all the background sounds and they impress as usual. It is filled with emotion and he gets some nice support from the female backing vocalists.

I love the use of the ethnic strings and they come and embellish the interlude, and this fantastic communion of electric guitars, drums and harmonies makes the verse-chorus segments stand out. The song's tone and style constantly shift from a folkish number to an electronic pop and finally, it settles at becoming a rock number, showing the skills of the composer/producer Anand Bhaskar. The usual suspects who are part of Anand Bhaskar Collective play delightful instruments like Hrishi Giridhar on guitars, and Ajay Jayanthi on the Violin. We also have Vacha Bipin on guitars. Prathamesh Dudhane is the mix/master engineer

@hrishigiridhar @ginny.diwan @prathmeshdudhane @mainhoonromy @shivangirammurthy @bhaskarville @ajayjayanthi

11.Dulcet Tones

Performed by Green Park

Written by Arpan Kumar, Rishabh Bhan Singh, Sidharth Gupta

Language: English

Genre: Alternative

Mood: Trippy

This Delhi-based Alternative music band blew my mind away when they released 'Newly Aged'. I did a whole album review on IG and I urge you all to listen to it right away. I have at least 3 songs that I loved from the album by this 3 piece set comprising Arpan Kumar on Vocals, guitars Keys and Synths, Rishabh Bhan Singh as the percussionist and drummer and finally Siddharth Gupta on bass, vocals and synths. There is so much love in the air as Arpan writes " It is my turn to stare, but you pull away, always afraid of feelings so great". 

The intertwining sounds of Sitar, Synths, Trumpets, Sax, and guitars are like being amid heaven with goodness from every possible direction. Karthik Pillai plays the Trumpet and the phenomenal Saxophonist is Willai Schade, a second hero in the album. We hear Kunwar Tanishque Jarial on additional vocals and the composition is also done by Amartya Ghosh and Ashrey Goel, giving us such a beautiful song collectively. The interludes are studded with Trumpets and saxophones and maybe that is why technically I got blown away. There is no room to settle down as a listener as Green Park now surprises with the Sarod solo in the interlude played by Sashank Navalvadi. 

The song feels like a great confluence of the West and East, and all I can do is close my eyes and move my head in utter approval of the quality of the music I am listening to. 

@jambluness @tanishque_ @sashanknavalvadi @ashreygoel @whatswrongwithgogol @yourfriendbil @allparksaregreen @arpanintended @sirfpaudhon.sepyaar @medicatedmints

12. Dhuun Mein

Performed by Saahel

Written by Saahel

Produced by Aditya Mishra

Language: Hindi

Genre: Pop

Mood: Energetic

I have featured every song of Saahel, this young indie musician thus far, so he must possess some terrific talent. As always this song too has a hook that just makes you get latched on and after that, you are playing it on a loop. The brisk tempo and the catchy rhythm programming are two obvious reasons. But where does Saahel go the extra mile?

A song is almost always nothing without a core melody that feels refreshing and heartwarming. Saahel writes good melodies and this too is typical of that pattern. the intro Sarangi sets the perfect tone, and it is a good choice because the instrument's latent sadness makes you feel that Saahel has something deep and important to say. He completely captivates you when he sings " Dil yeh befikar hai, bekhabar, manzil ki nahi fikar, dhube hain apnee dhuun mein". The guitars accompany the strong rhythms quite well here, and you can hear the mild aalap in the background probably hinting at Raag Hamsadhwani. 

Aditya Mishra scores a home run with the production and he picks the right moments for the Sarangi intervention too. Everything takes a breather, as we hit the verse, and the hyper mode of the chorus segment drops in intensity just to allow Saahel to convey his deeper message. He says "raahen kyun mudi see lage, kaise main inhen jod loon". Just at the end of the verse, the Sarangi quickly comes on board and leads us to the chorus, wow that was beautiful. Sidhant Choudhury is the mix/master engineer. 

@saahellmusic @adxtyamxshra @sidhant.choudhury

13.Noor

Written, composed & performed by - Trishita Recs

Produced by - Sarthak Ray @ Hamsadhwani Productions

Language: Hindi

Genre: Pop

Mood: Romantic

Trishita Recs is a fine artist with roots in Hindustani Classical music, and she puts all these treasured experiences and learnings to good use in her indie projects. The indie scene is filled with young artists who can sing well, but when it comes to writing a melody, very few cut. Trishita shines in this aspect because all her training probably has taught her that the melody is the ultimate core strength of a song. A compromise there cannot be tolerated.

She sizzles in the vocal delivery and when she says "main aur tu" you can feel her magnetism and how it could pull her partner closer just by using his voice. The production then comes to significantly elevate the song as Sarthak Ray introduces the Sarangi Solo in the background and it intervenes perfectly between the lines. The interlude has some saucy electric guitar melody and when the verse starts, Trishita gets even more emphatic with her lines. "Jab Tak, Jab Tak yeh saansein" with a beautifully timed pause in between works very well for me. 

As we head towards the closing stages of the song, we get backing vocal harmonies and these multiple layers bring about an impactful end. Sakar Apte is the mix/master engineer and the Recording happened at Studio Fudge, Andheri. Pratyayy Mishra plays the electric guitar solo in the song. 

@trishitarecs @_sorthok_ @what.the.riff @moseskharat

@sakarapte @ank_nbanerjee 

14.Just Like A Movie

Performed by Prateek Kuhad

Written by Gregg Steven Wattenberg, Prateek Kuhad

Produced by Gregg Wattenberg

Language: English

Genre: Alt-Pop

Mood: Romantic

I know that he has a huge following, and people might be wondering why I don't feature Prateek Kuhad often. Well things had to come to this, and I must say I finally really enjoyed this single which had not only some very good writing but also some brilliant production. Last year when Prateek released a 14-song album, I spoke highly of a couple of songs and he knows his limitations quite well and is a very self-aware artist. This song is written by Prateek and Gregg Steven Wattenberg. 

I love the chorus segment as he starts singing "You're dressed like the movies, An eighties something vibe", and this is something I could relate to and enjoy being someone born in 1980. The post-chorus is just enthralling as the harmonies go "Start Start Start". The production by Gregg Wattenberg gets into a solid zone of Alt-Rock with some wonderful guitars and engaging drums. This is where the heart swells in joy and you just start moving your head and tapping your feet. Prateek soars vocally as we go past the second verse and it feels nice to hear him edge into the higher vocal registers. 

@warnermusicindia @elektrarecords @splitthemoon @prateekkuhad @teamprateekkuhad 

15.Kahaani

Vocals, Composition: Kavya Singh

Lyrics: Amarjeet Syali

Producer: Khwaab

Language: Hindi

Genre: Classical Pop Fusion 

Mood: Happy

Is this like the Dream Team that got the US basketball team to the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 with Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone and so on? Well look at this team of musicians and you will think so too! Kavya Singh is a fine vocalist, and she creates her compositions and also performs the lead vocals. She sings with that sense of mild pathos saying "Beh jayegi, teri meri kahaani". 

The melody has an inherent Hindustani classical tonality in her singing and composition and that fuses well with the Keys by Archit Anand. Shrikant Bishwakarma is the guitarist and he displays a solo performance in the interlude. The music production is by the mercurial Khwaab (Nishant Nagar). The vibrato and the elaborate notes at the end of every word are intricate and soothing to the ear. The melody is extremely well written and that holds the song together, making it hummable. The tracks are mixed and mastered by the influential Rex Vijayan. 

The outro is where Khwaab loads up big time and the rhythms, electric guitars, and vocal harmonies all add even more to the pristine beauty of the song.

@kavyasinghmusic @amarsyal1 @khwaab.music @archit.anand19 @strings_of_karma @rex_vijayan @navya.singh11 @just.your.usual.soan.papdi

16.Talent

Singer: Ninja

Lyrics: Gora

Music: Deep Jandu

Featuring: Mahi

Language: Punjabi

Genre: Folk/Dance

Mood: Energetic

The song is a massive train of energy that will just keep rolling and you better climb onto it if you want your spirits to be uplifted. The song is performed by Ninja, with Gora's motivating lyrics and some creative production by Deep Jandu. The percussion is terrific with such thrust being offered and it matches up to Ninja's vocal aggression and energy. 

The creative juices are flowing for sure because I haven't heard of the south Indian brass instrument Nadaswaram in Punjabi projects before. The mix of percussion instruments is heard here maybe the Thavil, Chenda and Dhol. One irking feeling I have is that the melody that we hear on the Nadaswaram ( not throughout) was also first played in the famous " Varaha Roopam" composed by Ajneesh LOknath for the album 'Kantara' back in 2022. 

@its_ninja @deepjandu @believeasd @goranation @mahisandhuofficial @gk.digital @b2getherpros

17.Tears of Grey

Performed by Threads In The Sky

Written by Aditya Raghav Soni

Language: English

Genre: Progressive Rock

Mood: Contemplative

This Mumbai-based Progressive Rock act released this song, and it is something that has overpowered my emotions and captivated me through some amazing metal music. The song is a debut by Aditya Raghav Soni and he is accompanied by the expert Keshav Dhar on production and sound engineering for this.

The electric guitars and drums transport us to another orbit in space altogether. The interlude is heavy on a solo on the electric guitar with a melody written well, and I am constantly reminded of "Nothing Else Matters" by 'Metallica'. As we approach the end, we have some good lead vocals, backing vocals and harmonies to just create a space of contemplation before the final outburst once again. This is magnificent Metal that could easily adorn the silver screens and elevate the visual experience in say a Sci-Fi movie. 

@threadsinthesky @keshavdhar 

18.Dreams

Performed by Aarya, Jaden Maskie

Written by Aarya, Jaden Maskie

Music Composition by Aarya, Jaden Maskie

Produced by Jaden Maskie

Language: English

Genre: Pop

Mood: Happy

These are two talented musicians and this song gives me the confidence that there is good camaraderie between the young indie musicians of today. So just like the song talks about dreams, I too dream of a scenario where music brings us all together, annihilating all our differences and in the process hopefully we will keep creating consistently good music. Artists like Jaden and Aarya give me that hope. 

This song works quite well thanks to the effective lyrics, very hummable melody and some juicy production. This is a perfect example of harmonious collaborative work with Aarya and Jaden Maskie both writing the lyrics, and melody and performing the lead vocals. The song is produced by Jaden and he uses some fine keys and rhythm programming to elevate the background sound. 

The chorus segment is the part that fulfils my heart and the wavy guitars, keys and harmonies just blend perfectly. You will discover some excellent new elements every time you hear the song, like the bass guitar complimenting, the additional vocal arrangements and so on. Sachin Nair is the mix/master engineer. 

@aaryboyy @jadenmaskie @beatsanofficial @studioislandcity @varun.kanakia @ffs_in_

19.Bechaini

Performed by Adarsh Gourav, OAFF

Written by Adarsh Gourav, OAFF

Produced by OAFF

Language: Hindi

Genre: Electronic Pop

Mood: Trippy

OAFF is one of the most sought-after music producers in the country and his popularity among the young masses skyrocketed after 'Gehraiyaan'. This guy is consistent and good and here he co-writes and produces a song. Adarsh Gourav probably knows no bounds when it comes to establishing and exhibiting his talent, and that is why we have this tremendous young actor also now releasing independent music. 

The Piano and the lead vocals start off slow and then after the intro section, we get some upbeat rhythms that not only pick up in tempo but also in decibels. The chorus segment arrives and feels like something off an AR Rahman playbook, meaning it is that good. The producers go for some play on the vocals as we hear "Bechaini" with some breaks and interruptions like the work of a DJ. It is catchy for sure and thanks to the well-written melody the song is appealing. Adarsh Gourav's vocals especially in the higher registers also kind of resemble AR Rahman. I am reminded of 'Fanaa' from the album "Yuva". The tracks are mixed and mastered by Prathamesh Dudhane

@gouravadarsh @oaffmusic @prathmeshdudhane